Automatic switch.



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No. 873,572. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

F. X. MANTSION'.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH. APPLIGATION FILED ooms, 190e.

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W ITN E SSE 5I NVENTOR ATTORNEY rus NaRRIs PETERS co.. wAsHmGrcN, D. c.

FRANK X. MANTSION, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1 907.

Application tiled October 26. 1906. Serial No. 340,753.

To all whom 'it mayv concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK X. MANTsroN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county' of Philadelphia, and

4State of Pennsylvania, have invented a cer- .cl aims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use -the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawing forming a partof this specification, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of the casing in which the automatic mechanism is housed, said mechanism being in perspective, and also showing the block carried by the car adapted to actuate this automatic mechanism. Fig. 2, a detail perspective of the cam slide for throwing the switch point. Fig. 3, a plan view of a switch equipped with my invention. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional perspective.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, a represents a casing which is either cast with the switch B or bolted, which casing is intended to house the automatic mechanism for operating the switch point C, the latter being of ordinary construction and pivoted so as to have a swinging movement for opening and closing the main line.

Immediately beneath the switch point and within the housing is located a slide D, which has formed therein a cam slot E and the stud F projecting downward from the switch point passes through this cam slot, so that when the slide is moved back and forth longitudinal of the track the switch point will be thrown to one side or the other as the case may be and there locked against accidental displacement until the cam slide is again moved. This cam slide has attached theret0 a rod G which connects it with the upper `the bar Q4.

end of the lever H, the lower end of this lever having pivoted thereto the draft rod I, in which is formed a hook J for engagement with the stud K, upon the actuating lever L, so that when this draft rod is drawn forward by the actuating lever as will be hereinafter set forth, the cam slide will be drawn in the direction of the arrow adjacent thereto, and this will throw the switch point C so as to open the mainline and close the branch line.

In order that the cam slide may be moved in the opposite direction for closing the main line and opening the branch line, I pivot a lever M in such manner that its upper end bears against the forward end of the slide, the lower end of this lever beingconnected by the rod N to the lever O. The upper end of the lever O has pivoted thereto the draft rod Q, having a hook R formed thereon similar to the hook J and adapted to engage with the stud K, so that when this draft rod is drawn forward by the actuating lever L the cam slide will be forced rearward by the upper end of the lever M, as will be readily understood. As the pulling of the draft rods in the same direction by the actuating lever L moves the cam slide first in one direction and then the other, it is essential that only one of the draft rods be in engagement with the stud K of the actuating lever at a time, and to accomplish this result the draft rod Q has-an extension Q', the end of which extension carries a pin Q2 adapted to ride upon the spring bar Q3, and when the hook R is in engagement with the stud K and the actuating lever forced forward carrying with it the rdraft rod Q and its eXtension, the pin Q2.will pass under the inclined bar Q4, the bar Q3 springing downward suiiiciently to permit this pin to pass beyond When the actuating lever is released it will be returned to its normal position by the weight S upon the outer end of the extension S of the actu ating lever, and this yreverse movement of the actuating lever will force the draft rod Q upward by the action of the stud K upon the inclined portion of the hook R. The draft rod I is also provided with an extension I', carrying a pin I2, adapted to ride upon the spring When the draft rod Q is drawn forward by the actuating lever, as just described, the draft rod I will be drawn backward by the rearward movement of the cam slide D, drawing upon the lever H through the rod G, and this backward movement of the draft `rod I will draw the pin I2 over the upper edge of the inclined bar I, and to prevent the pin from dropping down at this time I provide a dog T carried by the upper end of the lever T, the lower end of which lever is connected by the rod T2 with the sliding block T3. This dog lies beneath the path of the pin I2 when the latter is drawn over the top of the bar I4, and is normally held in this position by the weight T4 carried by the lever T5, which is connected with the lever T by the lever T G. Thus the draft rod I will be held up out of engagement with the stud K so long as the dog T remains in its normal position, but when the pin Q2 in its forward movement with the draft rod Q passes under the inclined bar Q4 it will come in contact with the block T3 and force this block backward, and in so doing will so actuate the lever T as to withdraw the dog T from beneath the pin I2 permitting the draft rod I to drop downward putting the hook J in position to engage the stud K upon the next forward movement of the actuating lever L. When the draft rod I is drawn forward by the next movement of the actuating lever, the pin Q2 will be drawn over the top of the bar Q4 and on to the dog U carried by the lever U, this lever being held in its normal position by the weight UM1 through the lever U5 connected by the rod Ui with said lever U thus duplicating the operations just described in connection with the draft rod I, and whenthe pin I2 forces the block U3 backward the rod U2 will actuate the lever U', thereby withdrawing the dog U from beneath the pin Q2, permitting the draft rod Q to again drop into the position where its hook R may again engage the stud K,

The upper end of the actuating lever projects through a slot in the rail, and a secondary actuating lever L is pivoted within the casing at the other end ofthe switch, and also projects through a slot in the rail in order that the switch point may be thrown by a car coming in either direction, and these two actuating levers are connected together by the rods L2 and L3, an intermediate lever L4 serving to properly transmit .the draft upon these rods. For operating these actuating levers I locate upon each car an inclined block V fitted to slide upon a corresponding inclined bracket W, and this block is connected to the bell crank lever X by the rod Y, the horizontal member of the bell crank lever having an upright post Z pivoted thereto which the motorman may depress when he desires to operate the switch, the

block V causing it also to move downward until the toe of the dog a rests upon the lower surface of the rail, and as this dog is pivoted and held in its normal position by the spring b when the toe thereof comes in contact with the rail, it will be drawn backward dragging along the rail until it reaches the slot in which the actuating lever is located, when it will spring forward and operate this lever to bring about the movements of the mechanism before described for throwing the switch point.

In order that the rails may be kept clear of dirt or slush at the points where the actuating levers are located, I provide a brush d upon the under side of the block V, and when this block is drawn downward this brush will also come in contact with the surface of the rail and sweep the same clean.

It is to be noted that when the switch has been thrown to one side or the other it will be locked against displacement by the cam slide, and cannot be moved until one or the other of the actuating levers is operated, thus avoiding the accidental displacement of the switch point which often causesannoyance and loss of time.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, is-

1. In an automatic railway switch, the combination of a pivoted switch point, a cam slide adapted to move said point in either direction, a lever H, a rod connecting said lever with the cam slide, a lever M adapted to actuate the cam slide in one direction, a lever O, a rod connecting the last named lever with the lever M, an. actuating lever and means for alternately operating the levers H and O from the actuating lever, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic switch, a pivoted switch point, a cam slide for throwing the switch point to one side or the other, a lever H, a rod connecting said lever with the cam slide so as to pull the latter in one direction, a lever M adapted to force the cam slide in the opposite direction, a lever O, a rod N connecting the last named lever with the lever M, two draft rods, one attached to each of the levers I-I and O, an actuating lever adapted to operate the draft rods, and means for bringing first one and then the other of the draft rods in position to be operated by the actuating lever, as specified.

3. In an automatic switch, a pivoted switch point, a cam slide for throwing the switch point to one side or the other, a lever H, a rod connecting said lever with the cam slide so as to pull the latter in one direction, a lever M adapted to force the cam slide in the opposite direction, a lever O, a rod N connecting the last named lever with the lever M, two draft rods, one attached to each of the levers H and O, an actuating lever adapt- 65 depressing of which will draw forward the ,j ed to operate the draft rods, means for bring- 130 ing first one and then the other of the draft rods in position to be operated by the actuating lever and a spring actuated dog carried by the car for operating the actuating lever, as specified.

4. In combination with the movable switch point of a railway switch, a cam slide adapted to throw the switch point to one side or the other, two actuating levers connected together, two draft rods, a series of levers and rods connecting said draft rods with the cam slide, hooks formed upon the draft rods for engagement with one of the actuating levers and mechanism for putting first one and. then the other of the draft rods into connection with the last named actuating lever, as specified.

5. In combination with the actuating lever of an automatic switch of the character described, two draft rods each having a hook formed therein for engagement with the stud upon said actuating lever, an eX- tension formed upon each of the draft rods, a pin carried at the outer end of each eXtension, spring bars upon which each of the pins is adapted to travel, two inclined bars under which the pins are adapted to pass, a swing,- ing dog arranged adjacent to each ofthe inclined bars, a sliding block located back of each of said inclined bars and means connected with the blocks for actuating the opposite dog whereby dogs will be swung out of their normal positions, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK MANTsioN.

Witnesses:

MABEL S. LONG, E. IV. REED. 

